The Best Camera Drones & Quadcopters for 2018

In this extensive guide, we’ll take a look at some of the best ready-to-fly drones for sale in 2018. The guide separates drones (or UAVs) by price point and feature set to help you find the best drone for your needs.

The interest level in drones has recently skyrocketed and there was even anticipation that approximately one million drones would be sold during the past Holiday Season alone. That’s a lot of drones hitting the skies. If you weren’t one of those people to dive into the drone-frenzy, but are wishing you were, you now have a big decision to make…

And, that decision is determining what drone is right for you and your budget.

Fortunately, in addition to the steep increase in drone owners there has also come the steep increase in the number of drone manufacturers and models of drones available. There are literally hundreds of different types of drones for sale currently on the market.

The goal with his post is to help you sort through the best options at different price ranges so you can make the most informed decision on your future drone-purchase as possible.

The Best Drones Over $1,000

If you have a fairly large budget and you are looking for a high-end drone for aerial photography or videography, then you are in luck, as you have plenty of stellar options to choose from.

In my opinion, the best option in this price range when you consider price-to-performance is DJI’s Phantom 3 Professional. It’s incredibly easy to fly, it comes ready to fly out of the box with a pre-installed 4K/12MP camera, and it won’t cost you over $1,500.

On the other hand, if you’re looking for the absolute best consumer-level quadcopter on the market, then the DJI Inspire is the choice for you. It’s basically like the DJI Phantom 3 Professional on steroids as it has a bigger and better built frame and it the camera gimbal can rotate 360-degrees.

Ultimately, if you have a budget of over $1,000, any of these drones will suit you well.

DJI has continued to push the envelope with their Phantom series drones. Nothing has changed with their latest iteration of the Phantom series, as the Phantom 4 is hands down one of the best consumer-level drones ever made.

DJI Phantom 4

The DJI Phantom 4 is not only the best camera drone that DJI has ever put out on the market, it may be the best consumer-level drone ever made.

But, what else do we expect from the industry’s leader, other than the absolute best? DJI has constantly pushed the bar on each new iteration of their Phantom series and nothing has changed with the introduction of the DJI Phantom 4.

There are many upgrades that make the Phantom 4 an even better drone than the Phantom 3.

For starters, it’s faster, it flies better, its live HD streaming is even better, its easier to use, and it looks better than ever.

And, its new 3D camera will even allow you to map out environments you fly over.

All-in-all, the DJI Phantom 4 has set a new standard for consumer drones. The best part is that the Phantom 4 doesn’t significantly increase in price over the DJI Phantom 3 Professional, making it even more of a better buy.

If you don’t care about cost and you just simply want the best consumer (or, in this case, “prosumer”) drone on the market, then the DJI Inspire is the drone for you. The Inspire gives you the option to upgrade your camera, record in a 360 degree radius, and run the camera with a separate controller (and therefore with dual pilots). Ultimately, the Inspire is the best consumer drone available.

DJI Inspire 1

If you’re looking for professional quality out of your drone and you don’t mind paying a premium to get it, the DJI Inspire 1 is the most complete drone currently on the market.

For the most part, the DJI Inspire 1 has similar specs to the Phantom 3 Professional. However, the DJI Inspire is bigger, faster, and better designed than the Phantom 3.

Not only that, but where the Phantom 3’s camera can only pan up and down, the Inspire 1’s camera can pan up and down, as well as in a 360 degree rotation. And, the Inspire 1 allows you to control the camera separate of the drone itself, which will give you more control over the shots and video footage you get.

Another strong selling point of the Inspire 1 is the fact that you can choose between different cameras ranging from the high-end to cinema-level quality.

Ultimately, the Inspire 1 is a borderline commercial drone, designed for professional users in mind. But if you have the money and you want the best consumer drone available on the market, then by all means… get it!

A more affordable alternative to the DJI Inspire 1, the 3DR X8+ is a drone worthy of consideration for professional. It doesn’t come with a camera or gimbal but you do have the option to install the camera setup you want, which allows you to make it more personal. Ultimately, if you want a big professional-grade drone that will allow you to install your own camera system and you don’t want to pay as much as the Inspire 1, the X8+ would be the drone to look at.

3DR X8+

Why choose a quadcopter when you can get an octocopter? Seriously, the 3DR X8+ was designed to hold big payloads and with 8 motors and 11-inch propellers, the sky is the limit with the camera system, gimbal, and sensors you can install on this drone.

However, while the X8+ can hold the kind of high quality camera equipment and gimbal found on a more professionally-geared drone, like the DJI Inspire 1, none of these things are included on the X8+.

Rather, the choice for the camera system is up to you.

So, while the X8+ is ready to fly right out of the box, you can’t start recording your flights until you add a camera system.

Still, though, at just under half the cost of the Inspire 1, you have plenty of room in the budget to add a professional-quality camera setup.

Ultimately, the X8+ was designed with a certain type of buyer in mind and, in my opinion, that buyer is someone who likes to have more control over their equipment and doesn’t want to pay a premium for a fully assembled, ready to fly and film, drone.

The Typhoon H 4K is a solid high-end consumer drone. It has all of the features that you’d expect from a ~$1,000 drone and it definitely is one of the better options on the market. With that being said, in my opinion, the similarly-priced DJI Phantom 4 is still the more polished option.

Typhoon H 4K

The Typhoon H 4K made waves at CES with its collision-avoidance technology (powered by Intel’s RealSense.) And, while the Typhoon H definitely has established itself among the top options on the market, it isn’t quite as polished as the DJI Phantom 4.

That doesn’t mean it isn’t worth your consideration. There are definitely a few features that help make it a unique option.

For starters, the Typhoon H isn’t a traditional quadcopter design like the Phantom 4. Instead, its a hexocopter (6 rotors).

And, like the DJI Inspire Pro 1, the Typhoon H has retractable landing gear, which enables you to capture video in a 360° radius. In contrast, the Phantom series drones have a limited camera radius.

The downside of the Typhoon H, though, are that it is a bit heavier than the Phantom 4, as well as has a more limited maximum flight time, maximum flight height, and the inability to take 3D video (for mapping.)

That’s not to say that these downsides are enough to make it a bad drone. On the contrary, the Typhoon H is a very solid drone. It’s just that for a similar price, the DJI Phantom 4 is a much more well-rounded option.

The Best Drones Under $1,000

While there are some amazing drones in the over $1,000 category, the drones for sale between $500-$1,000 are equally as intriguing thanks to a nice balance between price and performance.

My favorite drone in this category is the DJI Phantom 3 Advanced. It’s essentially the same exact drone as the Phantom 3 Professional in terms of flight capabilities. The only difference between the Professional and the Advanced is that the Professional has the 4K camera, whereas the Advanced comes with the 2.7K camera.

Ultimately, though, you need the right hardware to be able to edit 4K video and most people aren’t able to view such high-definition video anyways, so why not save some money by going with the more practical camera? (Unless, of course, you’re a professional videographer, or someone who has the means necessary to take advantage of 4K video.)

With the introduction of the Phantom 4, the Phantom 3 Pro is no longer one of the best consumer drones on the market. However, since it has been reduced in price, it is now one of the best value drones currently available. So, if you don’t quite have the money for a Phantom 4, the Phantom 3 is a phenomenal alternative.

DJI Phantom 3 Pro

If you’re looking to get a drone that is easy to fly, ready-to-fly out of the box, and can deliver stunning video, and you don’t mind paying a decent amount for it, then the DJI Phantom 3 Professional drone is perhaps your best bet.

The Phantom 3 comes with a camera that has the ability to record your flights in 4K resolution, as well as live stream your flights in 720p resolution. The camera can also take stills at 12-megapixels.

And, to further improve video and image quality, the Phantom 3 uses a 3-axis camera gimbal, which virtually eliminates shaky video, as it keeps the camera incredibly stable during flight.

But, perhaps the two best features of the Phantom 3 Professional (and the rest of the Phantom 3 series, for that matter) is how easy it is to fly and the fact that it’s ready to fly right out of the box (unless you need to update the firmware…)

Ultimately, with the introduction of the Phantom 4, the Phantom 3 is no longer the best consumer drone on the market. However, with the new Phantom 4, the Phantom 3 saw a significant price reduction and now it is easily one of the best price-to-performance options on the market.

So, if you don’t quite have the budget for the Phantom 4, the Phantom 3 Pro is a really good alternative that won’t cost you quite as much.

While 3DR’s Solo is most widely considered to being the main competitor to the DJI Phantom 3 Professional, the Yuneec Q500 4K may actually be better-qualified to hold that distinction. While not quite as polished as the Phantom 3 Professional, the Q500 does have quite a few features that help it stand out, namely its Follow Me and Watch Me features among others.

Yuneec Q500 4K

While, in my opinion, the Yuneec Q500 4K quadcopter is a little behind the Phantom 3 Professional in terms of overall quality, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider it.

In fact, Yuneec’s Q500 4K has quite a few things going for it that may sway you to choosing it over the DJI Phantom 3 Professional.

For starters, the Q500 4K has two unique features called Follow Me and Watch Me. The Follow Me feature, when activated, will force the drone to follow you (or rather the controller) and the Watch Me will force the drone to keep you (the controller) in the camera’s focus.

The camera and gimbal on the Q500 4K are also detachable and the drone comes with a handheld device so that you can use the included camera on the ground as well as in the air.

And, perhaps the most important difference between the Yuneec Q500 4K and the DJI Phantom 3 Professional (and all of the DJI Phantom 3s for that matter) is the support department for both companies.

DJI’s support team has been trashed by its users and they have racked up a worrisome amount of complaints. Yuneec on the other hand has received praise for their superior support department. Since these two drones are expensive pieces of equipment, having a support team behind you to protect your investment is definitely a big feature. And, while I’m positive DJI will improve their customer support (at least, if they want to survive they will), right now Yuneec clearly leads in that department.

Ultimately, though, I feel that if we just look at the quality of the drone, the Phantom 3 Professional is the better option. But with all of the unique features and the better support department, the Yuneec Q500 4K is definitely worth considering.

With the Phantom 3 Advanced, you’re getting everything that the Pro version has, except for the 4K camera. The Advanced is no slouch in the camera department, though, as it sports a 2.7K resolution and 12MP (same as the Professional) camera. And, for most, the 2.7K camera will be more than enough.

DJI Phantom 3 Advanced

The DJI Phantom 3 Professional and the Phantom 3 Advanced are identical drones. They use the same controller, have the same design, utilize the same 3-axis gimbal, and sport the same flight features. The only difference is in the camera.

The Professional version can shoot 4K video, whereas the Advanced can only shoot 2.7K video. But ultimately, 90% of users probably won’t be able to utilize 4K UHD video anyways (let alone 2.7K), so why not save a couple hundred bucks and go with the Advanced version?

In my opinion, the Advanced is the better bang for your buck for most prospective buyers. It’s ready to fly out of the box, it can stream live video at 720p (same as the Professional), it has the same 12MP camera for stills as the Professional, and it can fly the same distance for the same amount of time as the Professional.

The only other real difference between the two is that the Professional version comes with a better charger. But if you purchase some additional batteries that should cover you.

In the end, the DJI Phantom 3 Advanced is perhaps the best price-to-performance quadcopter currently on the market. It’s easy to fly, ready to fly right out of the box, has the ability to shoot excellent video footage and take awesome stills, and it has a class-leading flight time and flight range.

The 3DR Solo is a solid drone that ultimately comes up short of the Phantom 3 Professional and Advanced in terms ability, convenience, and price (when you add the cost of the Gimbal and GoPro camera). The Solo does offer a unique angle for drone enthusiasts, though, as it is upgradeable and has open-source software.

3DR Solo

While the 3DR Solo comes in at under $600, that price doesn’t include the camera gimbal or the camera itself.

3DR has partnered with GoPro and as such their drone and gimbal are designed to work with GoPro cameras. This is great news for anyone who already owns a GoPro HERO3, 3+, or 4 (the GoPros that are compatible with the Solo) as it eliminates the additional cost of adding a camera.

However, you will still need to purchase the Solo Gimbal, which comes in at an additional $400.

So, all-in-all, if you don’t own one of the compatible GoPros, the total cost to get the 3DR Solo to a similar place as the DJI Phantom 3 Professional, you’re looking at spending close to $2,000… which is quite a bit more expensive that the Phantom 3 Professional price tag.

On the other hand, the Solo has some unique features and qualities to it that make it stand out. As previously mentioned, if you already own a compatible GoPro, then that is one cost you can eliminate from the equation.

Also, with the option to swap out cameras, the Solo will allow you to upgrade your gimbal and camera in the future to keep up with modern technology. The Solo also comes with an “accessory” bay which no doubt will be come extremely important when third party companies (and 3DR) start offering helpful accessories for your drone (i.e. parachutes, LED lights, optical flow, etc.). And, perhaps most importantly, the Solo’s motor pods can also be swapped out and upgraded in the future to ensure that it’s hardware can keep up with modern drone technology.

So, while the Solo isn’t as complete of a package as the DJI Phantom 3, it’s ability to upgrade definitely gives it a unique edge. Whether that’s enough to sway you to buy it over the Phantom 3 will come down to your own personal preferences.

The Blade Chroma is another worthy sub-$1,000 drone. In fact, the Blade Chroma is very similar to the Yuneec Q500 4K. Both use the same gimbal, camera (CGO3 4K), and controller (ST-10+). However, in the grand scheme of things the Chroma just isn’t quite as polished as the DJI Phantom 3 Professional.

Blade Chroma

While DJI has firmly established themselves as the leader in consumer-level drones with their Phantom 3 series, that doesn’t mean that they don’t have their host of competitors.

The Blade Chroma 4K is another challenger to the throne. However, while the Chroma is a solid machine, the Phantom 3 Professional is about as flawless of a drone as you can find right now and, as such, the Chroma comes up a little bit short.

Still, though, with a 4K camera and 3-axis gimbal, the Chroma will allow you to take high-quality video footage and the 12 megapixel camera will let you snap nice-looking stills as well.

And, while the Chroma isn’t quite as easy to fly as a DJI Phantom 3 (Advanced or Professional) nor offers the range, it is still pretty simple to operate and gives a decent enough range for most users.

The Chroma does claim a 30-minute flight time, but that may be a bit of a reach because most users report max flight times of ~25 minutes. Still, though, a 25-minute flight time is in the upper echelon for drones in this price range.

In the end, if you want the ability to film flight footage in 4K, I would recommend the DJI Phantom 3 Professional first and foremost. However, if you’re scared off by the overwhelming amount of negative reviews for DJI’s support team, then the Blade Chroma is a good alternative.

Another option for the fans of upgrade-friendly Drones (and drones that are open source) is 3DR’s Iris+. The Iris+ doesn’t come with a camera or gimbal and so you need to take that into account when purchasing it. However, it is compatible with most GoPro Hero cameras. This drone isn’t for new drone enthusiasts who want the complete package right out of the box, but rather for those individuals who don’t mind tinkering and who want to choose their own camera and gimbal setup.

3DR Iris+

While the 3DR Iris+ is currently listed at just under $500 on Amazon, the truth is that you will also need to add a camera and gimbal to it in order for it to be ready to film your flights (which will put you well over $1,000 after those two pieces of equipment are added).

Still, though, if you’re a fan of open source products and you want the ability to be able to upgrade your drone, then the Iris+ is a decent option.

It’s not as polished of a quadcopter as the newer 3DR Solo and it lacks some key features of the Solo (namely a dedicated controller), but it does come in at a more affordable price tag.

Ultimately, I’d only recommend the Iris+ to a very specific buyer… and that buyer would be someone who likes to tinker and doesn’t quite have the budget to go for the Solo.

For those who want something more polished and user friendly, I’d recommend something from DJI’s Phantom 3 series.

The Best Drones Under $500

While there is a noticeable drop-off in quality between this price range of drones and the more expensive drones listed in the previous two price ranges, there are still a few options between $100-$500 that are definitely viable.

The Parrot Bebop offers a fully ready-to-fly drone with a decent camera system on it. In my opinion, of the drones listed in this price range, the Bebop is the most complete right out of the box.

However, the CX-20 Professional (also known as the Quanum Nova from HobbyKings) is probably the better all-around drone in terms of flying capabilities. The only downside of the CX-20, though, is that you have to add your own camera (GoPro) and gimbal system, which will inevitably drive up the price and put it out of this price range.

Still, though, the fact that the CX-20 is open source and upgradeable gives it a little more upside than the other drones listed in this price range.

The DJI Phantom Aerial UAV is unique in that it will allow you to use your own GoPro as the camera—which makes it a great option under $500 for anyone who already owns a GoPro. However, if you want a more complete package and you don’t already have a GoPro, one of the models listed above would probably suit you better.

DJI Phantom Aerial UAV

If you want to get your own GoPro, or if you already have a GoPro, it might make sense to get a quadcopter that comes with the camera mount and gimbal, but doesn’t include the camera.

You can save money this way, since you already have a GoPro you can use.

One option you have if you already have a GoPro is the DJI Phantom Aerial UAV. Since it doesn’t come with a camera, it is a good option for anyone who already has a GoPro.

And, since it comes in at under $500, it is definitely one of the more affordable options. Of course, if you don’t have a camera already, you will probably want to look at one of the models above that does come with a camera.

Although, if you want to get a GoPro for other activities as well as to use on a drone, it would make sense to buy a drone like this one—that doesn’t have a camera—so that you can swap out the GoPro for whatever adventure you need it for.

The Parrot Bebop offers a few unique features not found in other drones at a somewhat affordable price (at least in comparison with the top drones on the market). The 14 megapixel camera with 180-degree field-of-view on the Parrot Bebop is pretty remarkable for the price range and the fact that you only need your smartphone to fly it is kind of cool.

Parrot Bebop

The Parrot Bebop is the successor to the AR Drone 2.0. The Bebop improves on pretty much every area of the AR Drone.

And, while it is not without its flaws, there is enough on this quadcopter to make it viable option.

For starters, the biggest thing that separates the Parrot Bebop from other drones in its price range is its camera. With a 180 degree field-of-view, a 14 megapixel/1080p camera, and the ability to digitally stabilize and fix the distortion of the picture, the Bebop can take incredible stills and record digitally stabilized video.

Another interesting feature on the Parrot Bebop is that it can be controlled solely through its mobile app on your iPhone or Android device. However, the downside of that is that using the mobile app leaves you a bit lacking in terms of having precise control over your drone.

Parrot does have a dedicated controller for the Bebop, but purchasing that will set you back an additional $400. That’s almost double the price of the Bebop itself.

In the end, the Bebop is a decent option, especially now that it costs well under $300. It won’t give you the most ideal drone experience, but it is definitely a good choice for anyone who doesn’t have a significant budget, but who wants to still be able to enjoy some of the cool features that come on the high-end machines.

For the price, the Parrot AR Drone 2.0 is a very worthy quadcopter. The biggest selling point for the AR Drone 2.0 is that, since you fly it with an app on your mobile phone, you don’t have to spend money on a controller. However, this is also a downside to the AR Drone 2.0, because A) you can’t use a standard RC controller for it and B) flying with a mobile app isn’t the most ideal way to fly a drone.

Parrot AR Drone 2.0

The Parrot AR Drone 2.0 is the predecessor of the Parrot Bebop. While the Bebop is the more advanced drone, the AR Drone 2.0 comes in at close to half the cost of the Bebop and because of this price difference the AR Drone 2.0 is still a viable option if you are working with a limited budget.

The biggest selling point of the AR Drone 2.0 is the fact that you don’t have to spend money on a controller. That’s because the AR Drone 2.0 is piloted through Parrot’s mobile app.

That’s right… the AR Drone 2.0 is controlled directly by your phone.

While this is a great feature, there is a downside to it… flying your drone with your phone isn’t as effective as flying your drone with a standard controller. And, the bad news is that the AR Drone 2.0 will not work with a third-party RC controller.

Also, it should be noted that if you’re looking to fly at long distances, the AR Drone 2.0 can only go about 200 feet maximum. And, for the most part, that’s pretty standard for any sub $300 drone…

So, in the end, while the AR Drone 2.0 is a solid quadcopter that flies well and is easy to operate, you will be limited to your mobile phone as your controller if you decide to go with it.

The CX-20 Professional is a solid budget-friendly drone. While this quadcopter doesn’t come with a camera or gimbal, these two items can easily be added as the CX-20 is compatible with quite a few different gimbals and will accommodate a GoPro camera. Ultimately, the CX-20 flies well, is fairly easy to use, and is ready out of the box.

CX-20 Professional

The CX-20 Professional might look familiar for two reasons… first, because it looks very similar to a DJI Phantom and, second, because it looks like the Quanum Nova from HobbyKing.

The CX-20 Professional and the Quanum Nova are, in fact, the same quadcopters. The Nova, however, is just HobbyKing’s branded version of the CX-20. The main—and only—difference between these two drones is that the CX-20 is open source and therefore upgradeable. And that’s the main reason why it is listed and not the Quanum Nova.

As far as performance goes, the CX-20 comes with a ton of features that help make flying it as easy as possible. In fact, for the price, in terms of ease-of-use, the CX-20 is on par with some of the high-end consumer drones out there (DJI Phantoms, 3DR Solos, Yuneec Q500, etc.).

The CX-20, however, does not come with a camera or gimbal. Although, a camera/gimbal system can be added as the drone has many gimbals that are compatible with it and it will work with a GoPro camera.

So, ultimately, the CX-20 offers the more budget-oriented buyers out there with an affordable quadcopter that is ready to fly out of the box, is easy to fly, and can be upgraded to take awesome footage of your flights.

The Best Drones Under $100

You wouldn’t expect to find a quality drone or quadcopter in the under $100 range, but the fact is that there are some solid entry-level fliers in this price category. Now, don’t get me wrong… there’s nothing in this category that will give you the performance and capabilities of a Phantom 3 or a 3DR Solo.

However, there are some great beginner quadcopters in this range that will allow you to learn the basics of flying a drone. Starting with one of these drones will give you an inexpensive way to polish your flying skills before you decide to step up to a fancier quadcopter.

Of the best drones for sale under $100, my personal favorites are either the Hubsan X4 or the Syma X5C. Despite the fact that they come in at under $100, they both have a built-on camera that will allow you to take stills and record video (though don’t expect great quality) and they are both relatively good fliers.

If you don’t want to spend over $100 on a drone, or if you are looking for a beginner quadcopter, the LaTrax Alias is a decent option. One of the cool features of the Alias is that it has the option to give you full control over the flight of the drone, which will allow you to fly it however you want. And, because its frame has a somewhat rugged design, it can take some bumps and bruises and keep going.

LaTrax Alias

With the LaTrax Alias you get a ready-to-fly quadcopter that won’t cost you an arm and a leg. No, it’s not the best quadcopter on the market, but for the price it comes in at, it definitely can compete with the other drones in its class.

There are a few other cool features with the Alias as well. For starters, the Alias comes in under the FAA’s weight requirement for registration. That means you don’t have to worry about flying the Alias outdoors unregistered and getting a hefty fine.

Also, the Alias has a full control mode where you are given 100% control over it. This will let you really open it up and push your flying skills to the limit.

And, because the frame of the Alias is pretty well built, it can sustain some mild crashes, which will give you some room for error.

And, finally, the Alias does have the ability to handle a camera. In fact, LaTrax has a camera that you can add on to it. It’s nothing spectacular but it can record in 720p and it does have a 12 MP camera. There isn’t a gimbal option, so the quality of the footage won’t be anything to write home about, but at least you have the option.

Ultimately, for the price you pay, the Alias is definitely an option worth considering in the under $200 range.

Perhaps one of the best drones under $100 is the UDI U818A. At right around $50 the U818A is a ready-to-fly quadcopter that is fairly easy to fly, can be flown outdoors even in less-than-ideal conditions, and sports a camera (although, not the best camera in the world). And, because it weighs less than the FAA’s 0.55lbs weight requirement, you don’t have to register it.

UDI U818A

The UDI U818A is one of the best entry-level quadcopters on the market. There’s quite a lot to like about this drone…

For starters, the U818A flies pretty well considering its inexpensive price tag. It offers stabilized flight and is easy enough to fly that it can even be flown on windier days.

Also, the built-in camera is a nice addition at this price point. No, the U818A isn’t going to take HD video and you probably won’t blow anyone away with the quality of your flight footage…

However, the fact that it has a camera at all is nice and at the very least you can have some fun going back and rewatching the video of your flights.

Another big selling point with the UDI U818A is the fact that it comes in under the FAA’s 0.55lbs weight regulation and as such does not need to be registered.

Ultimately, the UDI U818A is up there with the Hubsan X4 as being one of the best quadcopters under $100 on the market and if you’re a beginner, it is definitely a worthy option to help you get your feet into flying drones.

If you weren’t expecting to find a quadcopter with a camera included on it for under $100, you better think again! There are a few different versions of the Hubsan X4, but the H170C with the high-definition (2 megapixel) camera is a steal at just under $60.

If you’re looking for a mini quadcopter to play with to get your flying skills down, then the Blade Nano QX is another solid sub-$100 option. However, if you’re looking for something with a camera on it, the Nano QX isn’t for you… it’s simply too light to hold any decent camera. Ultimately the Nano QX is for anyone looking for a fun toy to play and learn with.

The most purchased drone currently on the market is the Syma X5C. It has over 3,000 customer reviews on Amazon, and for good reason… The Syma X5c isn’t the best quadcopter availble, but at ~$50 it’s price-to-performance ratio makes it one of the best values currently available for an entry-level drone.

Syma X5C

It’s hard to recommend any other drone than the Syma X5c in this category simply due to its ~$50 price tag. The low price inevitably makes the Syma X5C the perfect option for beginners or for anyone looking for a cheap drone to practice their flying skills with.

But the cheap price tag isn’t the only thing the Syma X5C has going for it…

For your $50 you get an easy-to-fly drone that is ready to go right out of the box. And, you also get an HD camera… which for the price is somewhat unbelievable.

It should be noted, though, that while the Syma X5C does technically come with the ability to record in 720p, the results won’t necessarily reflect cinema-quality video. This is mostly due to the fact that the camera is attached to the Syma X5C and it does not include a camera gimbal for stabilized video.

However, camera gimbals are expensive and you need to spend closer to $1,000 to get high-end video quality from you dron. And, as previously mentioned, at this low of a price, the fact that there is even a camera is pretty remarkable.

The Proto X is really just a toy and not something I’d recommend for anyone looking to get into the enthusiast side of quadcopters and drones. So, if you’ve come looking for a drone-as-a-toy for your kids or as a cheap, fun gift for something, then I suppose the Proto X is a viable option.

HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?

Choosing the right drone can be a daunting task for beginners and I advise that you get as much information as possible before you make your decision.

In my opinion, the best way to gather the information you need to choose the best drone for you is to ask a lot of questions. And, because of that, I welcome you to post any questions, comments, or concerns you have below so that either I, or another experienced flier, can help you make your decision. We also have a Drone FAQ that can help answer the most common questions that beginners have.

Also, if you see any errors in this post with the technical specs, or if you have a difference of opinion on any of the drones listed here, or you feel a specific drone should be listed but isn’t, please let me know! I will continue to update this list on a regular basis so that the information is always relevant and up to date.